“To protest against injustice is the foundation of all our American democracy.”

Thurgood Marshall, US Supreme Court Justice
This captures how we feel.

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Veggie List & Veggie Notes
Week #3, June 4/5, 2020 (Th/Fr sites)
– Weekly shares
– EOW/ green

NOTE: Please work with us on the mushroom schedule.
We realize that the EOW/green group is getting two batches of mushrooms.  Six weeks ago, I made a mistake while harried with other worries.  In turn, I created trouble for our lovely mushroom suppliers Mary and Ed, so we have to take shiitakes this week instead of next week.  If we pack mushrooms again in fall, we’ll make sure they are delivered on an EOW/purple week.  Thank you.

Shiitake mushrooms, 8 oz
Asparagus, ~1/2 lb
Escarole
Amara kale, 1 bunch
Lettuce (red leaf or red Romaine)
White salad turnips, 1 bunch
Radishes, 1 bunch
Scallions, 1 bunch

Next week’s box will probably contain spinach, lettuce, white salad turnips, bok choy (maybe), scallions and more.

Shiitake mushrooms – These are from Hidden Valley Mushrooms, the same people who grow button mushrooms for us.  I love shiitakes cooked with spinach or other greens.  Shiitakes must be cooked.  A small subset of people can have a toxic reaction to raw or undercooked shiitakes.  Once cooked, they are harmless.  And tasty! Lightly sauté in butter and add to any dish.  We will use ours in a frittata, as well as sauteed and mixed into pasta salad.  Sauteed shiitakes and spinach are a great topping for rice bowls, e.g. bibimbap.
Storage, general: Refrigerate in a dry paper bag, but not in your crisper drawer with other vegetables, especially brassicas.  Do not cover the paper bag.  Mushrooms are perishable so use soon.
Storage, this week:  Check your mushroom bag as soon as you get home.  If the paper bag is wet, remove the shiitakes and put in a fresh, dry bag.  Our new liner bags trap water shed by our greens, eg kale, lettuce, turnip greens.  This is bad for mushrooms, so it’s worth a bit of attention when you get home.

Escarole (broad head of wavy green leaves) – This member of the chicory family can be eaten raw or cooked.  Its slightly bitter flavor is a good addition to mixed salads.  It is excellent cooked alone or mixed with other greens.  It cooks quickly, but not as quickly as spinach.  Cover and refrigerate.

Amara kale –  We’ve grown this variety just a few times and included it this spring for variety among cooking greens.  Here’s the seed catalog description: “While technically a mustard, Amara is known by several different names including Ethiopian kale, highland kale, Abyssinian mustard, and Texsel greens. The attractive, dark green leaves are tender, slightly savoyed with a wavy margin, and have an excellent rich flavor. Good in salads or as a cooked green.”  This stuff is pretty interesting. It has the texture of kale but the spiciness of mustard.  I’d say it’s about half as spicy as mustard greens.  The flavor is strong once cooked but quite good.
Use: Use like any kale or mustard green.  Eat the leaves and mid veins.  Discard the stems and petioles, which are too tough.
Storage: Cover and refrigerate.

White salad turnips (bunched white roots with green tops) – I know that returning members look forward to these sweet and delicious turnips, which taste nothing like the turnips that are harvested in fall.
– Storage: Cover and refrigerate.
– Uses: Both the turnip roots and tops are edible.  The roots are excellent raw; Slice and add to salads.  They can be cooked and are especially good when lightly sauteed in butter.  Stir as little as possible so they brown on at least one side.  The turnips greens are excellent cooked.  Treat them like mustard greens.
– Our favorite use:  Slice the roots very thinly and combine with a mixture of rice vinegar, mirin, soy sauce, sesame oil.  Eat immediately or marinate.

Scallions (bundle of green onions) – These are useful raw or cooked.  Thinly-sliced raw scallions can be folded into biscuit dough or sprinkled on top of soups or salads.  Terrific garnish for pasta dishes.  Think pad thai. 

RECIPES

Visit our 2020 Recipe Log or our 2019 Recipe Log or join our Facebook discussion group.

LOCAL THYME/ Comforting Classics
Ethiopian Kale Caesar Salad
Braised Escarole and Radish with White Beans and Capers
Lettuce Wraps with Ground Pork, Shiitake, Radishes, Salad Turnips and Greens

LOCAL THYME/ Outside the Box Recipes
Black Eyed Pea and Two Greens Soup</a
Gulf Coast Gumbo Z’herbes
Early Summer Veggies Stewed with Roasted Red Chili Paste

LOCAL THYME/ Quick & Easy Meal
Teriyaki Beef, Shiitake and Asparagus Stir Fry

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RECIPES FROM LAUREN

SPRING ROLLS (two ways!)
Two parts of this recipe are optional: 1) the sauce (this is just our favorite dipping sauce for spring rolls- feel free to find or use a favorite of your own!) and 2) the use of spring roll wrappers. I love a spring roll when I’m a little overwhelmed by the third head of CSA lettuce but with the prepping of vegetables and wrapping of delicate little pieces of rice paper, they can get a little frustrating. A spring roll salad (also pictured above) is a great easy alternative!
Serves 4-6.
Takes 20 minutes + time to wrap your spring rolls.

4 ounces rice noodles
1 head lettuce, washed and leaves torn apart
1 bunch radishes, cut into matchsticks
1/2 bunch scallions, thinly sliced, divided
1/2 pound asparagus, shaved
2-3 avocados, optional
Spring roll wrappers, optional

Dipping sauce:
1/3 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1-3 tablespoons water, as needed

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stove. Cook rice noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Prep your veggies and get everything all together on a table or counter for easy assembly.
3. Prepare your dipping sauce by combining all ingredients with half of the sliced scallions. If needed, add water to thin.
4. Make your salad: Top lettuce with radishes, scallions, and shaved asparagus. Drizzle with sauce. Add salt to taste.
5. Make your spring rolls: Submerge spring roll wrapper in water until pliable (but not super soggy/floppy). I typically fill a 9″ cake pan with an inch or so of water to easily do this. Place your spring roll wrapper on a plate and top with desired filling ingredients. I always put a bit of everything in along with a little of the dipping sauce. Wrap up like a burrito (or however you can get things contained). I usually tuck in either ends and then roll it closed. If this is too frustrating, opt for the salad option listed in step #4.

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ESCAROLE WITH SAUSAGE & WHITE BEANS
Adapted from Food Network

Serves 4-6
Takes 30 minutes

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound pork sausage
1/2 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
8 ounces pasta
1 head escarole, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon chicken soup base (or boullion)
15-ounce cannellini beans
1/2 cup – 1 cup finely shredded Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1. In a large skillet (preferably cast-iron), heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add sausage and cook 5-10 minutes until well-browned and even a little crispy in places. Reduce heat to medium low, add scallions, and cook 5 minutes longer. You want them to also get a little crispy but not burn.
2. On another burner, get a large pot of salted water boiling. When boiling, add noodles. Cook according to package directions then drain, reserve 1-1/2 cups of the pasta water for the sauce.
3. Add escarole to skillet of sausage and scallions. Saute gently until wilted, about 5 minutes then add reserved pasta water, chicken soup base, and beans. Let simmer until reduced by half (5-8 more minutes). Add pasta along with the 1/2 cup of cheese and the red pepper flakes. Stir vigorously to incorporate all ingredients together. Add a little more water if you need to loosen the mixture.
4. Taste and adjust seasonings (and cheese) as desired.

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KALE WITH MUSTARD ROASTED TURNIPS & MUSHROOMS
Adapted from Grown & Gathered

Serves 2 for dinner, 4 as a side
Takes 1 hour

1/2 cup lentils (puy or brown will work best)
2 cups water (bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook gently for 15 minutes (until tender but not mushy)
1 bunch turnips, greens removed for another use, roots quartered
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounce shittakes, sliced
1 bunch Amara kale, stems removed and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 lemon, squeezed
Kosher salt, to taste
Red pepper flakes, to taste

Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons mustard powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Turn on the convection if you have it.
2. Prepare your lentils by combining lentils and water in a small pot with a pinch or two of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes until tender but not mushy. Drain and set aside.
3. Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Toss turnips with half of the dressing on a baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes, stir, and roast for an additional 10 minutes until beginning to brown. Some of the mustard may burn a little– just scrape it up and add it to the mixture.
4. Meanwhile, combine garlic and shittake with the remaining dressing. Toss to coat. Add to turnips (after they have been roasting for the full 25 minutes) and roast an addition 15 minutes.
5. Combine roasted turnips and mushrooms in a bowl with lentils and allow to cool slightly. Add mustard greens and toss to combine. Drizzle with additional olive oil and the juice of 1/2 lemon. Add salt and red pepper flakes to taste.

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